Fishing reel



Oct. 30, 1951 Filed July 50, 1947 u. llllllllllll! B. E. BERLINGER FISHING REEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l j INVENTOR. BER/VA RD E. BERL/NGEF? Ewan-y ATTORNE S FISHING REEL 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed July (50, 1947 INVENTOR.

ATTOREEYS BERN/1RD E. BERL/NGER Patented (jet. 30, 1951 FISHING REEL Bernard Berlin 'ger; Elkins Park, Pa., assigr o to Quaker City Gear Works, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa a c l fl fl iSTYI iWiQ Application Julyfio, 1947, SerialNo. 764,786

4 Claims, (01. 242- 841) This invention relates to; fishinareels and r nc to var us features for iI PrQv -ne the construction and operation o 511t r el One of the objects: or the prese t in en on i the provision o me ns pr vid n an autqmatit and ad ustab .snuhhin iq 1 .9 afiq ii M91??? y to p event hee lashthis re ect the pr sen inv nt on 3 stitute an improvemen on the iisq sure 0. my prior'Unit d States. Pate NQ- .2. 9

A further object .01? th inventiqn s to arouse a-thrust h ari to; the sp l o ak are el te ma ic lly .of m sa ignment of spool; The prov sion .o a ireel and sm qth ordi, arilv re ui es the ear n. to a de ree oi pre s on whi h becomes 12 9* hibi ire in a e c of this t pe not nl because v Jinan; t e pa ts but be ame of diificulty of assembly if reasonable .tglera nce r clearanc si not rrpvi e aq e qae ith th p eset in en lan th requirem n s i9; hi h pre is on aa t uc ae ar su tanti sseaes w nc a s mple t rust be n i ei m6- :9??? 9i rai e-li ament of p t s s and havi a onabie e se a t s i ht a semb y er q se he i c s o e in tion pa ti a l l ea in it? det il .o eoa u t q wiil become apparent from" the following desermaqn read in sQ Janct Qn with th aecqma i yi awings in whiqh;

F ur ,1 antel r on :o h inf c s of the i ent q F gur an axi c q f th t e ree Figurefl is anelevation of the right-hand end of the reel as viewed in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is .a sectional View taken on the plane indicated at 41-4 in'Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on a plane indicated at 5 -5 in Figure 2;

Figure .6 an elevation, partly in section, showing the parts associated with the left-hand end-of .the reel viewed outwardly from the plane m tated a 16 n F ure ,2; and

Fi ur 7 isanenler e taken .on th plane indicated at-1"l in Figure 5.

M ta li r n sand 4 p t Bake t n members 6 and 8 to prov'ide a frame assembly held to e he b s ace a bolts ind atedat II in Figure l. {I}he frame also comprises a sh t m ta m mbe providing the saddle 1, dap d o be se u ed t h r d A sha -.ca r s t e 551 41 which ma Th made- 1 two se t ns '16 and 1 a vided with .a passa e 3 .fQ' s u i g the end 9 th a l emb d ng hank .z h aqe'si rt h us s a sphericaldepression for re'(Eeptibiiof the p ri al, ens p ae sh iiw e t e" a presses the member (t'i'in ardly", the tension of this spring"34beingfadjiistabl'e "rotation he i wh ib lli The shaft l4 car'fies apinion' 38 with which cooperates a click 4 2 qontrolled by a springf m and m u d If'a'sl fift m ans 6r a p n. 44 which may herri oved by'tl fishermans finger from the exteriorflof the reel; The arrange;

ment is such that thejenlarge d"sl anl z .o'f the' .click'may move inwardly lor'outwardlyjby the ends of the spring Qflfa d' the spring will yield laterally to permit theplnion to' rotate with a clicking sound wherrtlieieliclg' is inits inner-- position.

Forced into onejeridof' thereel is a ring 4tpreferably of bronze'wnieh; as viewed in Figure 7, hasa .downward ly cqnveig surface. lh'is end of the shaft I51 is flattened as indicated at and over it there 'isilocated a flat washer -52 which is preferably pf stainless steel.- 'A split ring 54 enters a groove 56 in the shaft to hold this washer asse nbled' with the spool. The spool is provided withfa clearance extending beyond the periphery of the washer-52 so that-as will be evident from'Figure-2 the washerhas 'a-limited but free possibility of rocking on the ring 43.

A plate 58 carried'by theend member 6'supports a bronze b ushing 6 0,"the upper surface "of which, as viewed Figure-'7, is smooth and hat so that the wa erfi'linay bear thereagainst. Relative rotation oeours betvveenthis bushing and th Wa he h l t e Reine Prov w e m tangular ,opening fitting the iiat end fit of the shaft 14 so that the washer is constrained to rotate with the shaft. Ih ewasher andbushingare always in flatwise contaet despite misalignment f the ia fi .9 .9. to, th i'i eq t ie ne y o th in pe imi l elati e n ul r m e e n t s and the Wash 5 1 ill 62 of the shaft Mis' provided with: a bearing "in the form o a her time s re 5 th d i -t a bu h ng 4 .car eab tli en mem 6; A p n p e sed hall 9 "atrmell l l e en 011mg assume opening in the screw 68. The bearing of the shaft end 62 is made relatively loose and serves primarily for approximate alignment of the spool in the frame. This bearing does not assume any of the thrust exerted by the spring 34, which thrust is taken by the contact between the washer 52 and the bushing 60.

A pin I2 riveted to the plate 58 provides a bearing for the hub I4 of a ratchet I8, lengthwise movement of the hub relative to the pin I2 being prevented by a pin 'II extending through the hub and engaging a groove in the pin I2. The hub I4 is flattened as indicated at 16 and is threaded at its outer end as indicated at 15.

On the hub "I4 are assembled various elements including a metallic washer I9 and a fiber washer 80. Both of these are provided with circular openings so that they are free to rotate independently of the hub. The fiber washer 80 is seated in a hollow in a gear 82 which is also provided in its lower side as viewed in Figure 7 with a bore for the reception of a series of washers 84, 86, 88, 90 and 92. Washers 84, 88 and 92 are metallic. Washers 86 and 90 are of fiber. Washers 84 and 92 are provided with non-circular openings fitting the flattened portion of the hub I4 so that these washers are constrained to rotate with the hub. Fiber washers 86 and 90 are provided with circular openings so that they are free to rotate relative to the hub. The metallic washer 88 is also provided with a circular opening so that it is free to rotate with respect to the hub. However, it is provided with ears 94 engageable in slots in the walls of the bore in the gear 82 so that this washer must rotate with the gear.

A sleeve 96 surrounds the outer portion of the hub I4 and is arranged to be engaged by the nut I provided with arms easily grasped by the fingers. The nut I00 is threaded on the threads I5 of the hub and, as will be evident from the drawings, may be tightened so as to force tightly together and against the ratchet I8 all of the parts threaded on the hub 14. A clutching action is thus provided so that the hub I4 drives the,

gear 82 through the washers 84 and 92 rotating with the hub, the fiber washers 86 and 90 and the washer 94 which rotates with the gear.

An arm I02 carrying the handle I04 is secured to the end of the hub I4 by a screw I08. The arm I02 carries a projection I08 which is adapted to engage a projecting knob II4 extending from a lever H2 which is secured to a spindle IIO mounted in the end member 6 and the plate 58. A transverse pin IIB carried by the spindle cooperates with a cam member II8 provided with notches I20 and I20. The cam member II8 carries a plate I22 having an ear I24 arranged to slide in a slot I26 in the end member 6. By reason of this arrangement rotation of the cam member H8 is prevented. A strong spring I28 urges the plate I22 and cam member I I8 upwardly as viewed in Figure 7 against the pin I I6.

A forked end I30 of the plate I22 engages a groove I32 formed in a pinion I34 which is slidable on the end of the shaft I4 and meshes with the gear 82. A transverse milled slot I36 in the pinion is arranged to receive the flattened portion 50 of the shaft I4 so that when the parts are in the position illustrated in Figure '7 the pinion I34 is disengaged from the shaft I4 and the latter may move freely with respect thereto but if the pinion is moved upwardly as viewed in Figure '7 it will be clutched to the shaft by the location of the flattened portion 50 of the shaft in the milled slot I36. The shift from one position to the other is effected by movement of the lever I I4 and spindle IIO through approximately When the positions of these parts are as in Figure 'I the pin II6 lies above the top of the cam II8 holding the pinion out of clutching relationship with the shaft I4. If, however, the parts are moved to their alternative position the pin I I6 by entry into the notches I20 and I20 permits movement of the cam member II8 upwardly with resulting shift of the pinion to clutched relationship with the shaft. In order to latch the spindle I I0 yieldingly in its alternative position the spindle carries a disc I38 afiixed thereto between which and the end member 6 there reacts a strong spring I40 (Figure 5), the line of action of which moves from one side to the other of dead center when the spindle is moved between its extreme positions.

A detent I42 controlled by a spring I44 acts upon the ratchet I8 previously described to prevent reverse rotation thereof.

As will be particularly clear from Figure 4, when the arm H2 is in declutching position its knob II4 will project in the path of the member I08 carried by the winding arm I02. Accordingly, whenever the winding arm is rotated the lever II2 will be tripped to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 4. being moved to this extreme position by the action of the spring I40 and the camming action between the pin I I6 and the sloping edges of the notches I20 and I20. Accordingly, the fisherman may produce automatic clutching merely by starting a winding operation without the necessity for special manipulation of the knob II4. However, as will be obvious, the knob H4 is in convenient position to be easily flipped to either extreme position by the fingers.

The alternative operations of the reel will be apparent from the foregoing description of construction. The clutching of the shaft I4 to the pinion I34 has just been described. This clutching will not occur accidentally during a throw since the handle I04 is unbalanced and normally hangs downward with the result that centrifugal force will not cause its knob I08 to engage the lever II2 to clutch the pinion I34 to the spool shaft.

The clutching of the gear 82 to the hub 14 and to the winding arm I02 is effected through manipulation of the nut I00 which is so formed as to be readily moved to produce clutching or declutching by the fingers of the user, with whatever degree of friction may be desired. The pawl I42 prevents reverse rotation of the winding arm by the action of the line on the spool. The click 42 serves to signal rotation of the spool independently of any of the other portions of the mechanism.

In particular, there may be mentioned the action of the bearing members for the spool. As

pointed out heretofore, the freedom of the plate 52 to rock with respect to the shaft I4 provides freedom of spool rotation without binding despite misalignment of the shaft with the bearings in the end members 6 and 8. Snubbing action is provided by the action of the member 32 on the spherical end of the shaft I4, some of this action being provided by friction between washer 52 and bearing 60. By adjustment of the screw 26 the compression of the spring 34 may be modified to secure whatever retarding action on the spool is desired. The interengaging spherical surfaces provide a smooth and proper snubbing action automatically achieving the results which are usually secured by applying friction to, the spool through thumbing, the desired frictional action being secured by adjustment of the compression of spring 34 by manipulation of screw 26.

It will be clear that variations may be made in the details of the construction described without departing from the invention as defined in the following claims.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent 15:

1. A fishing reel comprising a frame, a spool having a shaft, and bearings supporting the shaft in the frame, one of said bearings including a bearing element carried by the frame and a second bearing element rotating with the shaft and having only the innermost portion of one radial face thereof in engagement with the shaft but having universal freedom of tilting movement with respect to the shaft, the bearing elements having radial plane faces engaging each other.

2. A fishing reel comprising a frame, a spool having a shaft, and bearings supporting the shaft in the frame, one of said bearings including a bearing element carried by the frame and a second bearing element rotating with the shaft and having only the innermost portion of one radial face thereof in engagement with the shaft but having universal freedom of tilting movement with respect to the shaft, the bearing elements having radial plane faces engaging each other through an annular region of contact.

3. A fishing reel comprising a frame, a spool having a shaft, and bearings supporting the shaft in the frame, one of said bearings including a bearing element carried by the frame, means providing a spherical surface carried by the shaft and a second bearing element rotating with the shaft but having universal freedom of tilting movement with respect to the shaft and bearing against said spherical surface, the bearing elements having radial plane faces engaging each other.

4. A fishing reel comprising a frame, a spool having a shaft, and bearings supporting the shaft in the frame, one of said bearings including a bearing element carried by the frame, means providing a spherical surface carried by the shaft and a second bearing element rotating with the shaft but having universal freedom of tilting movement with respect to the shaft and bearing against said spherical surface, the bearing elements having radial plane faces engaging each other, through an annular region of contact.

BERNARD E. BERIJNGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,513,893 Coleman Nov. 4, 1924 1,973,686 Maynes Sept. 11, 1934 2,279,434 Balz Apr. 14, 1942 

